World Book Day – on Thursday, March 3 – aims to give every child and young person a book of their own, starting a lifelong love of reading for pleasure, telling stories and sharing books.
And as the annual celebration arrives for another year, children across South Tyneside have pulled out all the stops with some fantastic fancy dress to embody their favourite characters.
From childhood classics to new favourites, here are some of the outstanding outfit photographs sent into the Gazette from proud families.
Thank you to everyone who has shared a photograph so far. Don’t worry if you can’t see your picture here – we have been sent so many we can’t feature them all at once, but we will be running more in due course. For more information about how to share your picture with us, click here.

9. We're all mad here
Katie Smith, age 8, as Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Photo: Gillian Smith

10. Double trouble
Eveylyn, age 4, as Hermione Grainger from the Harry Potter series and Samuel, age 7, as a Viking from The Saga of Erik the Viking. Photo: Rebecca Davison


12. Roar!
Harry, age 3, dressed as one of the dinosaurs from Harry and the Dinosaurs Go Wild! Photo: Abigail Hope Smithwhite


